There’s a new tool for searching flight award space called Roame.travel, which was launched in March 2023. This site allows travelers to quickly search for award flights across many airlines and loyalty programs. It not only shows the airline’s award pricing on a particular route but also makes recommendations on transfers from credit card rewards programs and takes active transfer bonuses into account. The most notable feature of Roame.travel is its speed, with search results displayed in a matter of seconds.
Roame.travel was created by co-founder Tim Qin, who was inspired by years of reading TPG (The Points Guy) and his own personal experience of spending hours searching for first-class award space to Asia. Qin wanted to save himself time in the future by creating a fast and real-time search tool that could search multiple programs simultaneously.
Currently, Roame.travel covers more than a dozen airline loyalty programs, including major ones like American Airlines AAdvantage, Delta SkyMiles, and United MileagePlus. It also taps into several credit card rewards programs, such as American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards.
To use Roame.travel, users can search for free without creating an account, but creating a free account allows for full access to the site’s features. Similar to a booking site, users input their flight origin and destination, travel dates, and the number of travelers. The site then displays the search results, including the points or miles price and the best options for transferring points for optimum value redemption. It’s important to note that the site only analyzes one-way flights, so users must separately search for the outbound and return flights for a round-trip itinerary.
Roame.travel also offers paid account options for additional flexibility. The Friends of Roame package costs $9.16 per month or $109.99 per year and includes features like wider date ranges for searches, flight alerts, and the ability to search flights between broader regions. There is also a business plan for up to 20 users starting at $291.66 per month or $3,499.99 per year.
To find an award with Roame.travel, users can input their desired flight details and click the search button. The site will quickly populate the results, and users can filter and sort the results based on their preferences. The best options are displayed at the top of the list, along with recommendations for transferring points to take advantage of transfer bonuses. Users can then click on the airline loyalty program logo for more information on making the transfer and complete the booking process on the loyalty program’s website.
When using Roame.travel or similar sites, there are a few factors to keep in mind. Bookings are not made within Roame.travel, so users will need to book directly with the airline. The listed transfer amounts may require extra attention, as users need to understand how Roame.travel arrived at the displayed price and ensure they are eligible for any transfer bonuses. Additionally, Roame.travel may not cover every airline loyalty program, and its data for some airlines may be incomplete. The site also currently lacks the option to sort by fees, so users may need to pay additional fees for their award tickets.
In conclusion, Roame.travel is a valuable tool for travelers searching for flight award space. Its speed, wide coverage of loyalty programs, and recommendations on transfers make it a convenient and efficient way to find the best award flights. While there are some limitations to the site, it remains a useful resource for award travelers.